Coastal names Ketron director for Waccamaw Center
Her duties as director will include coordination of noncredit and continuing education programs for the Waccamaw Higher Education Center, development of new courses and programs, marketing of those programs and community outreach.
Ketron, who lives in North Litchfield Beach, is known in the area for the community education classes and literary lunches that she runs from Art Works, a volunteer-staffed art gallery in Litchfield Exchange. She has also been leader of Bike the Neck, the organization that has paved miles of bicycle paths in the Pawleys Island/Litchfield/Murrells Inlet area.
“This is a natural evolution,” says Ketron, “It feels like a homecoming to me since the (community education) classes started as Senior Semesters, then became Campus Brookgreen and then CLASS (Community Learning About Special Subjects).” She plans to convert the CLASS courses into community curriculum at the Waccamaw Center.
Ketron earned a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College and a master’s degree from Antioch College, both in California. Since 1997 she has owned Art Works and organized the community classes that employ area experts to teach courses ranging from art and music to history and philosophy to health and recreation topics such as yoga and tai chi.
The Center, located at 160 Willbrook Blvd., behind the Hampton Inn on U.S. 17 Bypass, is expected to open mid-June, according to Richard Weldon, director of Coastal’s Division of Academic Outreach. The 14,690-square-foot building will be used for credit courses, community classes and professional workshops, as well as community meetings. Weldon predicts a fall enrollment of 200-225 for courses in business, economics, education, geography, psychology, health education and more.
Ketron is planning a Community Input Forum on Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m. at the new center for area residents to discuss subjects they would be interested in learning about. She is also sending out surveys to participants of such classes. Call 235-9600 for more information.